Escaping the Past
by RingosGarden
Summary: Hermione leaves Britain after finding out she was pregnant with Fred's child- after a secret relationship. She flees to Ireland, where she's found by George. Thinking this will be George/ Hermione. Not sure how it will progress yet. Teen for now. Set three years after the war.
1. George

**I haven't started a new fanfiction in about two years. Hi, guysssss 3 So this is an idea I had based off an old song-fic I wrote called -'It Ain't Me, Babe'. If you want more back story- or sooner than later- you should probably read that. Also Ci= K+eye. K+eye-US. ...Kind of.**

****_"Hermione?" _

__I freeze, unable to turn myself around to look at the man who had addressed me. It's been amost three years since I have heard the voice of George Weasley. The three year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts was just last week. I left Britain only a month after the end of the war, and have still yet to go back.

I can live in Cork without daily reminders of all that we lost. We won the war, but every thing...everyone...just seemed so broken. I spent the first two weeks grieving- we all did. Remus. Tonks. Moody. Fred.

Oh, Fred.

I couldn't just stay in and cry anymore. I hurt. Everything just hurt so much. I volunteered to immediately start rebuilding Hogwarts- just in an effort to distract myself. Noone understood.

But I couldn't step near that wall. I can still see his face- clear as it was on that last morning. I needed to distract myself from feeling- anything. So I worked on Hogwarts every day for those next two weeks. Until the day I left Britain.

Until the day I was told by a medi-witch that I was pregnant. That I, Hermione Granger, was pregnant with Fred Weasley's child.

It was all just too much. I never wanted to run but I made my decision, and wouldn't know how to explain myself. _Oh, Fred._ I loved him. But I realized it too late. I was scared and I suppose childish when it came to his affection. I pushed him away and we simply danced around eachother for three years.

I didn't even realize how deeply he was in my heart until he was taken from us. From me.

And Ciaus.

I was going to name his after Fred, but I'd get emotional everytime I said his name. So I named him Ciaus after Fred's favorite character in Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar_. He told me once he loved my name- I told him to thank Shakespeare, so he read everything he could. I thought he'd like it. I know that he would.

"George." I still haven't turned to face him. I realize I've been standing still on the sidewalk for a few minutes now. I'm not sure that I am still breathing, but I can feel my heart pounding like it's grown five sizes. I have lived in Ireland for three years, and this is the first time that I have run into anyone that I know, and it had to be George.

It. Had. To. Be. Goerge.

"Wha- what are you doing here?" I feel his hand on my shoulder and he prompts me to turn around. I clench my hands aroun the stroller- the stroller I just remembered was in them, and turn to face George, and I can feel my heart stop. I swear that I can.

"Are you okay?" he asks. I can't even think coherantly. All I see is Fred. I watch his eyes move from mine and to the stroller next to me. "Do you have a kid?"

I can't help it. I break down crying and George's arms are nearly instantly around me. "Hey," he says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overwhelm you- I just- I wasn't expecting to see you here. No one's heard from you in years- you disappeared... I'm just happy to see you."

I nod into him and try to collect myself. So I can say- do- something. "I'm sorry," I choke out.

He loosens his grip on me and pulls back so he can look me in the eyes. "Can we go somewhere to talk?"

Taking a deep breath first, I nod. George had caught me walking back from a quick trip to the store for some things for dinner. The market is only a block away from my house in Muggle Cork. I was caught so off guard I hadn't thought about why George might be in Muggle Ireland. I never expected to just run into anyone from my past.

"My place is just a bit up the road," I tell him softly.

"You walked?" he questions, glancing again at the stroller to my side.

"Yeah," I reply with a nod. "We do it all the time."

"Mommy?"

"I'm right here, Ci," I reply, closing my eyes when George meets them.

"Mommy?" George asks me quietly.

I open my eyes and George's face- so similar to Fred's apart from their eyes- is watching me with concern. He's here and this is happening. There's is no way I can hide this any longer. It kills me that I did to begin with.

"I think it's time you met my son," I tell him, and as calmly as I can I gesture him around the front of the stroller and push back the canopy that was shielding Ciaus.

"Merlin," I hear George gasp. Before I can say anything to even begin to explain myself, Ciaus busts out in giggles and reaches for George.

"Daddy!"

I want to run. To scream. To throw myself out of a bloody plane.

Anything other than being in this situation.

Instead, I kneel down next to him as I start crying again. "No sweety," I say through my tears, brushing his Weasley-red hair out of his eyes. "This is your uncle Georgie, remember?"

"Georgie," he says with a smile, "Daddy's brother."

I nod. "Yeah sweety."

George clears his throat before bending down in front of the carraige to see Ciaus at eye level. "Hi there," he says awkwardly, meeting my eyes.

"This is Ciaus, George."

"He looks just like him."

It's almost a whisper, and I can see just about every possible emotion going though his head right now.

"Mommy is he coming for dinner?"

Ciaus breaks the silence and tension and I smile at him. "Yes, honey. Uncle Georgie is coming for dinner." George nods at me in agreement and stands, hardly able to take his eyes away from Ciaus. It kills me every day just how much he looks like his father. As he gets older I see it more and more.

"Lean back," I tell Ciaus, and stand- pushing his stroller towards home.


	2. Explanation

**Thanks for the reviews, guys. Here's chapter two.**

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****George was pretty quiet all through dinner. We all were- evewn Ciaus. I don't think that any of us knew how to deal with the other's sudden presense. It's not exactly easy to talk when I can hardly look at George's face and George can hardly look ay Ciaus'.

I close the door to Ciaus' bedroom and walk back into the kitchen. George has already used magic to clean up from dinner and he's sitting back at the table, his head in his hands- just like Fred.

"George?" I ask softly. I don't trust myself to say anything else right now. The pain is almost unbearable.

He looks up at me. "How?" he asks. "I- ." He shakes his head, and then scratches it, staring back at me for an explanation- lost for his own words.

I remain silent for a few moments and then take a deep breath. "How did we have a child together, or how did you not know?"

I can see the pain in his eyes as clearly as I could ever see the pain in Fred's. They're so close to being identical. Fred and I managed to keep our relationship...whatever it was- a secret. I wanted it that way- and now all I see is the pain it's now caused George.

Sitting down across from him at my small wooden table, I summon us both tea and magically heat it.

"I didn't know."

I look down at my hands. "I'm sorry." It's all that I can think to say and I know I sound stupid.

"We-" I pause, trying to calm myself enough to talk. "We were never really together. I- I made him promise to never telll...anyone- about anything, unless we _were _really together..."

"How long?" He finally asks, after a few silent moments.

I shrug awkwardly and then meet George's eyes again, feeling the tears run their way down my face. "He kissed me that summer at Grimmauld...I- I never wanted it to keep going but...but at some point I fell in love with him, I couldn't push him away, and I was just too stupid and proud to admit it."

I pause and it's all I can do to keep myself from sobbing. "We- we were going to be together once the war was over." I cover my face in my hands and shake my head. "I was so fucking stupid. I never told him I loved him."

George walks over to my side and gestures me out of the chair and over to the living room couch. He holds me against his chest and I can feel him take a deep breath.

"I knew my brother," George says, his voice steady. "And I promise you, if he cared enough to keep the two of you a secret, then he probably loved you. And I'm sure he knew you loved him too, if you were close enough to him to have a child with him."

I nod, my head leaning against his chest. "Do you hate me?"

He moves me so I have to face him, and he looks at me in shock. "How could I hate you?" he asks. "You just shocked me a bit, Hermione. But- you've brought a bit of Fred back into my life." He shakes his head, and gives me a warm smile. "I could never hate you."

George laughs as I through my arms around him, and I can't help myself, I start laughing, too. I pull away from him to wipe my eyes and just shake my head.

"I panicked," I tell him. "I just had to leave."

"I get it," George replies. "But how? You disappeared with only a quick note. They're _still _looking for you, Hermione. It was like you vanished."

"Well I had a bit of help," I admit. "Not many people wanted to go back to Hogwarts immediately to help out, but Malfoy showed up only a day after I did...we kind of had to talk to eachother, and we really got along fine when we were on the same side of something. He ran into me the day I found out I was pregnant and I just blurted everything out- and he helped me...disappear."

"Wow."

I nod at George. "I know...he sends me the Prophet," I tell him with a smile. "I hear he's the main suspect on my vanishing."

"He is," he replies, a small smile on his own face. "Ron's convinced."

I look back down at my hands.

"Hey," George says, pushing my chin up so I have to look him in the eyes. "I know where you are now- and I'm not letting you vanish again. It might be overwhelming, but they'll accept you...eventually. You're coming home, Hermione. Us Weasley's stick together."

"I can't."

His face hardens a bit. "Hermione, you've been gone for three years, and for most of that time you have been hiding my nephew from me."

"Your Godson," I tell him, biting my lip.

George doesn't say anything- he just stares at me. "I- I hope you don't mind, but you two were twins, so it's kind of assumed you'd be his first child's godparent, so I didn't need to get your permission at all...And I'm still kind of jumpy from the war so I figured if anything ever happened to me, I know Ciaus would be were he belonged."

"You both belong back home, Hermione," he finally replies. He then smirks, and I can feel my resolve melting. "You really have no say in this."

"I know," I tell him. "How did you find me, anyway?"

He shrugs. "I don't actually know. I was in Cork on shop business, but when I was going to leave I _really_ wanted to go down this street- and then I saw you...everyone really misses you, Hermione."

"I miss everyone, too."

"Come home?"

Slowly, I nod my head.

Back to Britain.


	3. Draco

**Here's Chapter Three...: Whooooooops, that's what I get for trying to be quick...**

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"Is everything okay?"

I nod at Malfoy- Draco, and gesture him to the couch from my Floo.

"Yeah,"I tell him, looking past him at Ciaus who is playing with blocks in front of the television. "We're both okay...but I ran into George Weasley yesterday."

"Oh?" Draco asks with a raised eyebrow.

"It was fine," I say. "But he thinks I should come back to Britain- and I think he's right."

Draco smiles. "It's about time."

I nod at him. "Yeah, I think so."

Taking a deep breath, I look at Draco. "What if I'm not ready?"

"Come here," he says, pulling me into a hug- how things have changed.

"If there's anything I learned in six years of school with you, Hermione, is that you're ready for about anything."

He pulls away and looks me in the eyes. "You'll be great."

"Yeah Mommy! You'll be great!"

Ciaus walks over to me and I pull him into my lap. "Thanks, Ci. I needed that."

Looking away from Ci I turn back to Draco. "Thank you, Draco. For everything..."

He shakes his head at me. "You helped keep me out of Azkaban- you saved my soul, Hermione- whatever you need, just ask."

I think I catch him off guard when I throw my arms around his neck, but I don't care. I just can't help myself.

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"You can do this, Hermione."

George laughs at me from my bedroom doorway. I was talking to my reflection. "This isn't funny."

"I can't help it," George says with a smile. "I'm just so...happy, to see you. And Ciaus- I mean. These three years haven't been easy, but I've gotten better, and when I poor my energy into making other people happy, I find that I'm actually happy too."

He pauses, and his eyes get sad. "But I will never get over Fred. He was my twin, and when he died...well something in me died too...but now you're here. And he's here," he says, nodding towards where Ciaus was asleep on my bed. "And it feels like a bit of Fred is here too."

"I know what you mean," I tell him, turning to where he's walked over to me. I look down at my hands, twirling the bracelet Fred once gave me. "I can't begin to tell you how nervous I am about all this...but I feel alot better with you beside me."

George pulls me into a hug before I have a chance to say anything else. "You ready?" he asks after a few moments.

I nod against his chest before pulling away. I grab my bag from the bed and sling it over my shoulder before picking up Ciaus, careful not to wake him just yet.

"We can apparate just across the street," I tell George- he had left by Floo yesterday. He follows me out of the house and across the street in silence. I lead him behind a stone wall and reach for his hand for the apparation.

Before I can ask if he wanted to lead the apparation, he leans down and places a soft kis on my cheek. I don't react as I feel my surroundings change and he apparates us to just outside the Burrow.

"Welcome home, Hermione," he says with a grin.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ...**

George had made sure to pick a time where just Molly and Arthur would be home. I don't want to overwhelm Ciaus- or myself. We walk up to the door in silence, George still holding onto my hand in comfort.

When we reach the door, he drops my hand and takes his wand out of his pocket, tapping on the door three times before opening it, and stepping in before me.

"Mom?" he calls out

"In the kitchen, dear!" I hear Molly's voice ring out.

We walk around the corner and I take a deep breath as Molly comes into view. She turns around and our eyes meet for the first time since the Battle at Hogwarts.

"Merlin," she mutters, placing the dishes that were in her hands into the sink. She wipes here hands off onto her skirt and I can see tears forming in her eyes. "Hermione," she says as she walks over to me, giving me a sideways hug as Ciaus is still asleep in my arms.

"Molly," I say, my voice breaking in emotion.

Ciaus wakes up and looks at me, rubbing his eyes. "Mommy, where are we?"

I look away from Ciaus and look to Molly, who's looking at me questionally. I swallow before turning myself sideways so that Molly can see Ciaus' face for the first time.

"Molly," I say gently. "I'd like you to meet your grandson, Ciaus."

I wait for her to take it in as she stares at Ciaus. Suddenly she turns to George. "George?"

He shakes his head, "No mom, Fred."

Molly bursts into tears and quickly snatches Ciaus from my arms, "Oh, my baby. My grandson...we have so much time to make up."

"Grandma Molly?"

She stops crying to smile down at the two year old in her arms. "That's right, honey. I'm your grandma Molly."

Molly looks at me and smiles. "We've missed you so much, Hermione."

"I'm sorry."

She shakes her head at me. "None of that. You're here now and that's what matters now. We've got you back...and this one," she says, grinning down at Ciaus with tears in her eyes, "well he's just a little miracle now, isn't he?"

George puts his arm around my shoulder and gives me a reassuring squeeze. He leads me over to the table, and we watch as Molly begins to dote on her grandson.

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	4. The Burrow

**Fixed the last chapter- sorry about that- I tried to rush an update before leaving for work. **

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George sent owls to everyone, explaining that I was back with my son- but to not come over until dinner. I told Ciaus that he would be meeting some of his aunts and uncles and cousins and the words had hardly left my mouth when Harry nearly ran through the door. I knew no one would listen to George's request of not bombarding me.

"Hi," I say lamely, as Harry stares at me from the doorway. He grins before running to me and twirling me in his arms. He hugs me tightly and I can feel the tears come to my eyes.

"I've missed you so much, Hermione."

"I know, Harry," I reply. "I'm so sorry. I've missed you horribly."

When he pulls away, he's still smiling. "I can't believe you're really here." He glances around the room, for the first time seeing George- Molly is in the kitchen working on dinner and Ciaus is sitting on the counter 'helping' right beside her.

"Um...George's note said you have a son?"

"I-" The door swings open revealing a pregnant Ginny, and Ron- holding a small child, beside her.

Ginny squeals before pushing Harry away from me so she could give me a hug. I watch as Ron hands Harry the sleeping boy- Harry places a kiss on the child's forehead. _James_. It's funny- most of the knowledge I have right now about my old friends comes from Draco. And the Prophet. It's easy to keep up with Harry and Ginny's lives as they're plastered all over the Prophet. Ron, too- he recently became a full-fledged Auror.

When Ginny finally releases me, she looks pointedly at Ron, who hasn't moved from the doorway. He seems to shake himself awake and slowly closes the door behind him, before walking over to me and pulling me in a hug. I swear he's about a foot taller than when I last saw him. "I'm so glad you're home, Hermione," he almost mutters into my ear.

"Me too, Ron."

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"So let me get this straight," Ginny says slowly, staring at Ciaus from across the living room where we were all sitting. Dinner was quiet and awkward, with many glances at both me and Ciaus from around the dinner table. Ciaus and James were playing with some wizard figures on the rug by the fire. Victorie, Bill and Fleur's daughter, was sitting quietly off to the side, watching.

"You and Fred...were dating?"

I bite my lip and shrug. "I guess so," I reply. "Not really...I mean, we'd meet up with each other, and went out a few times...but we weren't anything- official."

"How long?"

The room gets quiet with Ron's question- Ci and James continue to pretend to destroy each other's figurine, ignoring the adults around them.

"Does it matter?" I ask him back.

"I'd kind of like to know how long you were shagging my dead brother- yes. You ran away when you found out you were pregnant with his kid- he's dead and you act like he meant nothing."

I take a deep breath and watch as Fleur- God bless her, ushers the kids out of the room and back to Molly. No one except for George is currently looking me in the eyes.

"Shagging?" I finally ask him back. "Once, Ron. " I reply. "Just the one bloody time. Not that it's really any of your business- because it's not.

"I didn't sleep with Fred until that day...right before the battle, and right before he asked me to be his girlfriend."

I register that I'm crying- so is Ginny from what I can tell. Both Bill and Harry are doing their best to avoid my eyes as I look at Ron. I can;t really say that I expected anything else from Ron.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me that I act like he meant nothing- when he meant...everything."

Stubborn as always, Ron doesn't back down. "You don't care about someone like that overnight."

"You do after three years."

It's Harry that's replied, and I stare at him. He's smiling- kind of sadly, but he's still smiling.

"You knew?" I ask him.

He shakes his head at me. "Not until now... I caught you two kissing at Grimmauld Place- but you slapped him nearly immediately, so I never really thought about it afterwards...I was kind of too distracted to notice, I guess. I figured he was just messing around with you...I also wasn't sure if it was Fred or George..."

I smile at Harry, thinking back to the memory. Fred and I had been awkwardly fooling around with each other for a few weeks before Harry came to the Order Headquarters. I kept telling Fred that we should stop, because we'd get caught- when Harry walked into the library. I wasn't sure how much he had seen so I slapped Fred in the face before running upstairs to my room.

I just didn't want complications. I had school. I had...I had to protect Harry. And Ron. I couldn't be distracted by _Fred._ By teenage romance.

"You loved him," Ginny says softly.

I don't need to reply. Just hearing the words hurts so much I can hardly breathe.

"I'm- ...I'm going to go get some fresh air," I tell them, standing. "I'm fine," I say at Ginny's look. "Just a bit stuffy in here."

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"You okay?"

"I will be," I tell George, not tearing my eyes away from the stars. George sits beside me on the large picnic table in the Weasley's back yard. After a few moments he takes my hand in his and points towards the sky.

"Gemini," he says, pointing to the constellation. "Whenever I think about him too much and start to get down again I look for Gemini and think about him watching over me...silly, but it helps sometimes."

I shake my head, wiping the tears from my eyes when he lets go of my hand. "I see him in Ciaus every single day."

George puts his arm around me and pulls me into a hug. I can almost smell Fred- not quite though. But I feel better in George's arms. I feel safe. I feel- I almost feel like I'm home.

"I know this is alot," George says, running his hand through my hair. "Especially all at once, but I want you to consider moving in with me."

I pull away from him so I can look at him. "What?"

"I live in my own house now- alone. Not only could I use the company, but you could use a place with less traffic than the Burrow, and Ciaus could use growing up with some family around. ...and I'd like to get to know my Godson- I've been absent from his life for, what, over two years?"

"He was late," I tell George, with a smile. "He was born April first."

George clears his throat before speaking. "Of course he was," he replies, shaking his head. "So a bit over two years then...please, Hermione?"

"At least until you get situated back here?"

I find myself nodding. It really would be good for Ciaus. "Okay," I tell him. "If you're sure."

"Absolutely."

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**Keep telling me what you all think, I really appreciate it. Sorry again for the mix up last chapter. Love you all.**


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